U.S. patent number 7,926,207 [Application Number 10/581,672] was granted by the patent office on 2011-04-19 for wear assembly and components thereof, which is intended for machines that are used to move materials such as earth and stones.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Metalogenia, S.A.. Invention is credited to Roberto Fernandez Munoz, Jose Lopez Almendros, Franceso Perez Lado.
United States Patent |
7,926,207 |
Lopez Almendros , et
al. |
April 19, 2011 |
Wear assembly and components thereof, which is intended for
machines that are used to move materials such as earth and
stones
Abstract
The present invention relates to a wear assembly, as well as to
the different components thereof, which has a wear member or tooth
and an adaptor member or tooth bar for wear applications in a
machine for moving materials such as earth and stones. The
invention contemplates a wear assembly and particularly a coupling
system between the different components to one another by a
characteristic coupling system and at least one retention system
assuring the coupling and anchor between the different components,
specifically between the wear member and adaptor, the latter in
turn being joined to the blade of a bucket or scoop of a machine
for moving materials, such as an excavator or the like.
Inventors: |
Lopez Almendros; Jose
(Barcelona, ES), Perez Lado; Franceso (Palamos,
ES), Fernandez Munoz; Roberto (El Masnou,
ES) |
Assignee: |
Metalogenia, S.A. (Barcelona,
ES)
|
Family
ID: |
34673789 |
Appl.
No.: |
10/581,672 |
Filed: |
December 5, 2003 |
PCT
Filed: |
December 05, 2003 |
PCT No.: |
PCT/ES03/00623 |
371(c)(1),(2),(4) Date: |
April 04, 2007 |
PCT
Pub. No.: |
WO2005/056934 |
PCT
Pub. Date: |
June 23, 2005 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20080028644 A1 |
Feb 7, 2008 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
37/452; 37/456;
403/374.4; 172/772 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02F
9/2841 (20130101); E02F 9/2825 (20130101); Y10T
403/7069 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
E02F
9/28 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;37/446-460 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Beach; Thomas A
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Sughrue Mion, PLLC
Claims
The invention claimed is:
1. A wear member for being connected to an adaptor in turn joined
to a fixing member, the wear member being of the type comprising a
body with a hollow, cavity or open box in a rear portion thereof
for receiving a projecting area or nose projecting from a front
portion of an adaptor member, and at least one opening
communicating said hollow with the outside for the subsequent
introduction of a pin, wherein the hollow, cavity or open box,
conjugated with the projecting area or nose of the adaptor, is
symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis and comprises: a
proximal portion of decreasing cross section ending in a distal
portion of continuous cross section, said decreasing section being
formed by two decreasing superimposed sections, one having a larger
surface than the other one, coinciding in size and shape in the
distal portion of the hollow and which in the proximal portion, the
smaller surfaced section partially projects at the lower portion of
the larger surfaced section such that, along the length of the
hollow defined between the proximal portion and the distal portion,
the smaller surfaced section projecting at the lower portion of the
larger surfaced section is progressively introduced into the larger
surfaced section up to a point in which said smaller surfaced
section is hidden inside the larger surfaced section, said point
being located in the proximal portion, and at least two
interlocking surfaces along the proximal portion of the hollow
defining the union of the series of smaller surfaced sections with
the series of larger surfaced sections.
2. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein the hollow has two
interlocking surfaces which, due to their conjugated configuration
with the surface of the nose of the adaptor member, allow that: a
force applied on the wear member in a downward transverse direction
creates a force component in the interlocking surfaces in the
longitudinal interlocking direction of the wear member to the
adaptor member, the contact between the conjugated interlocking
surfaces prevents the wear member from being extracted from the
adaptor member in a rectilinear extraction length, and the wear
member is retained by the adaptor.
3. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein the larger
surfaced sections and the smaller surfaced sections are
substantially elliptical or oval-shaped, defining in the proximal
portion a half cone-shaped body of revolution in the upper portion
of the hollow with respect to the horizontal or transverse axis and
a half cone-shaped body of revolution in the lower portion of the
hollow with respect to said axis.
4. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a rectilinear line with a variable
inclination between 0 degrees and 60 degrees with respect to the
vertical axis of symmetry of the wear member or of the adaptor
member, a straight plane defining the series of the infinite
sections.
5. The wear member according to claim 4, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a rectilinear line with a variable
inclination between 10 degrees and 20 degrees with respect to the
axis of symmetry of the wear member or adaptor member.
6. The wear member according to claim 4, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a rectilinear line with an inclination of 0
degrees with respect to the axis of symmetry of the wear
member.
7. The wear member according to claim 4, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of two rectilinear lines forming an acute
angle with one another in their extension towards the upper and
lower portion of the hollow.
8. The wear member according to claim 4, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of two rectilinear lines forming an obtuse
angle with one another in their extension towards the upper and
lower portion of the hollow.
9. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a rectilinear line, a curved plane defining
the series of infinite sections.
10. The wear member according to claim 9, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a convex rectilinear line with a given
radius of curvature.
11. The wear member according to claim 9, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a concave rectilinear line with a given
radius of curvature.
12. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein the wear member
is a tooth for use in machines for moving materials such as earth
or stones.
13. The wear member according to claim 1, wherein the larger
surfaced section is directly above the smaller surfaced section
when viewed along a direction of insertion of the adaptor into the
hollow.
14. An adaptor member for being connected to a fixing member, of
the type comprising a body with a projecting area or nose
projecting from a front portion for being housed in a hollow,
cavity or open box existing in a rear portion of a wear member,
said adaptor member having fixing means in a rear portion and at
least one passage through the projecting area for the introduction
of a pin, wherein the projecting area or nose, conjugated with the
hollow of the wear member, is symmetrical with regard to the
vertical axis and comprises: a proximal portion of decreasing cross
section ending in a distal portion of continuous cross section,
said decreasing section being formed by two decreasing superimposed
sections, one having a larger surface than the other one,
coinciding in size and shape in the distal portion of the nose and
which in the proximal portion, the smaller surfaced section
partially projects at the lower portion of the larger surfaced
section such that, along the length of the nose defined between the
proximal portion and the distal portion, the smaller surfaced
section projecting at the lower portion of the larger surfaced
section at the beginning of the proximal area is progressively
introduced into the larger surfaced section up to a point in which
said smaller surfaced section is hidden inside the larger surfaced
section, said point being located in the proximal portion, and at
least two interlocking surfaces along the proximal portion of the
nose defining the union of the series of smaller surfaced sections
with the series of larger surfaced sections.
15. The adaptor according to claim 14, wherein the projecting area
or nose has two interlocking surfaces which, due to their
conjugated configuration with the surface of the hollow of the wear
member, allowed that: a force applied on the wear member in a
downward transverse direction creates a force component in the
interlocking surfaces in the longitudinal interlocking direction of
the wear member to the adaptor member, the contact between the
conjugated interlocking surfaces prevents the wear member from
being extracted from the adaptor member in a rectilinear extraction
length, and the wear member is retained by the adaptor.
16. The adaptor according to claim 14, wherein the larger surfaced
sections and the smaller surfaced sections are substantially
elliptical or oval-shaped, defining in the proximal portion a half
cone-shaped body of revolution in the upper portion of the nose
with respect to the horizontal or transverse axis and a half
cone-shaped body of revolution in the lower portion of the nose
with respect to said axis.
17. The adaptor according to claim 14, wherein the union of the
smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section defining
the interlocking surfaces is carried out by means of a rectilinear
line with a variable inclination between 0 degrees and 60 degrees
with respect to the axis of symmetry of the wear member or of the
adaptor member, a straight plane defining the series of the
infinite sections.
18. The adaptor member according to claim 17, wherein the union of
the smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a rectilinear line with a variable
inclination between 10 and 20 degrees with respect to the axis of
symmetry of the wear member or adaptor member.
19. The adaptor member according to claim 17, wherein the union of
the smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of rectilinear lines forming an acute angle
with one another in their extension towards the upper and lower
portion of the nose.
20. The adaptor member according to claim 17, wherein the union of
the smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of rectilinear lines forming an obtuse angle
with one another in their extension towards the upper and lower
portion of the nose.
21. The adaptor member according to claim 14, wherein the union of
the smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a rectilinear line, two interlocking
surfaces formed by curved planes defining the series of infinite
sections.
22. The adaptor member according to claim 21, wherein the union of
the smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a convex rectilinear line with a given
radius of curvature.
23. The adaptor member according to claim 21, wherein the union of
the smaller surfaced section with the larger surfaced section is
carried out by means of a concave rectilinear line with a given
radius of curvature.
24. The adaptor according to claim 14, wherein the adaptor is a
tooth bar for use in machines for moving materials such as earth or
stones.
25. The adaptor member according to claim 14, wherein the larger
surfaced section is directly above the smaller surfaced section
when viewed along a direction of insertion of the adaptor into the
hollow.
26. A wear assembly for being connected to a fixing member wherein
the wear assembly comprises: a wear member according to claim 1,
and an adaptor member having fixing means in a rear portion and at
least one passage through the projecting area for the introduction
of a pin, wherein the projecting area or nose, conjugated with the
hollow of the wear member, is symmetrical with regard to the
vertical axis and comprises: a proximal portion of decreasing cross
section ending in a distal portion of continuous cross section,
said decreasing section being formed by two decreasing superimposed
sections, one having a larger surface than the other one,
coinciding in size and shape in the distal portion of the nose and
which in the proximal portion, the smaller surfaced section
partially projects at the lower portion of the larger surfaced
section such that, along the length of the nose defined between the
proximal portion and the distal portion, the smaller surfaced
section projecting at the lower portion of the larger surfaced
section at the beginning of the proximal area is progressively
introduced into the larger surfaced section up to a point in which
said smaller surfaced section is hidden inside the larger surfaced
section, said point being located in the proximal portion, and at
least two interlocking surfaces along the proximal portion of the
nose defining the union of the series of smaller surfaced sections
with the series of larger surfaced sections, and the wear assembly
further comprising: a retention system assuring the fixing of the
wear member in the adaptor.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a 371 of PCT/ES2003/000623, filed Dec. 5, 2003;
the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a wear assembly and to the
different components thereof, which comprises a wear member or
tooth and adaptor member or tooth bar, for wear applications in a
machine for moving materials such as earth and stones,
The invention contemplates a wear assembly and particularly a
coupling system between the different components by means of a
characteristic coupling system and at least one retention system
assuring the coupling and anchoring between the different
components, specifically between the wear member and adaptor, the
latter in turn being joined to the blade of a front edge of a
bucket or scoop of a machine for moving materials, such as an
excavator or the like.
The present invention also relates therefore to a wear member or
tooth and to an adaptor member or tooth bar forming part of said
wear assembly and incorporating respective parts of said mutual
coupling and anchoring system.
TECHNICAL BACKGROUND
Machines for moving materials such as earth and stones, included
among which are excavators and the like, and other machines used in
public works and mining, are used to pull out, move and load earth
and stones. These machines, which can be presented with a variety
of configurations, are usually provided with one or more buckets
joined to a mechanical arm. The bucket is provided with a beveled
lip or blade on a front edge intended for striking against and
penetrating the earth and stone mass. It is common to assemble wear
members or teeth associated to the blade and projecting forwardly
therefrom to prevent excessive wear of the blade and to aid in
penetrating the earth. However, said blades are also subjected to
wear and breaks, whereby they must often be replaced, and on the
other hand, depending on the work which the machine is to perform,
it may be desirable to change the type or shape of the teeth. To
facilitate said replacement, wear member and adaptor member, tooth
and tooth bar, assemblies are used in which the tooth bars are
fixed to the blade of the bucket in a more or less permanent manner
and the teeth are releasably coupled to the tooth bar by means of
respective interlocking configurations. The coupling is held
together by means of at least one pin or other retainer member.
There are different types of coupling systems between teeth and
tooth bars, it being common in most of them that upon applying a
downward vertical force on the front part of the tip of the tooth,
reactive forces are generated due to the structure of the coupling
that are contrary to the direction of the coupling between tooth
and tooth bar. That is, forces are generated which tend to
"decouple" both members, considerably increasing stresses both on
the surface of the tooth bar and in the pin securing the
interlocking between both members.
In traditional interlocking systems between a wear piece and an
adaptor member thereof, or a tooth and tooth bar, the housing in
the tooth and the nose of the tooth bar have a wedge shape. This
shape creates stresses when a downward vertical force is applied
(usual manner of the work of the machine) on the tip of the tooth
which tend to separate the tooth from the tooth bar, subjecting the
pin retaining both members to great stress (see FIG. 9a).
Patent document U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,900 discloses a tooth and tooth
bar assembly for an excavator in which a slightly arched pin is
used to hold the coupling between the tooth and tooth bar and a
retainer member is used to lock the pin.
The pin used has a rectangular cross section with rounded corners
and has two opposite planar faces and two opposite arched faces of
different radii, such that the cross section area decreases from a
middle area towards the ends. About halfway between the ends of one
of the planar faces there is a cavity for housing said retainer
member, which is joined to a plate from which there is projected
towards the opposite part a rod surrounded by a compressed coil
spring, which is supported on said plate at one end and joined to a
base disc at the other end. The spring is embedded in an
elastomeric material forming a cylinder between the plate and base
disc, constituting a retractable and at the same time dust, dirt
and moisture resistant one-piece body. The one-piece body is housed
in a cavity opening into a wall of the tooth bar such that in the
absence of stresses, the retainer member projects from said wall.
As the pin is introduced in a passage defined in collaboration by
respective configurations of the tooth and tooth bar when they are
coupled together, a beveled end of the pin acts like a cam on the
head of the retainer member such that the retractable body is
shortened and the retainer member is hidden, allowing the passage
of the pin. When said cavity of the pin reaches a position ahead of
the retainer member, the latter penetrates therein, pushed by the
resilient force of the spring holding the pin in place.
One drawback of the device of this patent U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,900
is that the insertion of the pin must be carried out by means of
hammering to achieve the shortening of the retainer member against
the force of the spring and the tightening of the wider cross
section middle area of the pin. Although the retainer member has a
cone-shaped tip cooperating with inclined walls of the housing of
the pin, hammering must be used also for the removal of the tooth
in order to achieve the shortening of the retainer member. In a
general sense, hammering is usually imprecise with respect to force
and direction and can damage or weaken members of the tooth, tooth
bar, pin and/or retainer member, therefore an assembly device not
requiring hammering for carrying it out is desirable.
In order for the pin to be retained in the tooth-tooth bar coupling
system in this retention system, the pin is supported in the tooth
and tooth bar, such that it is essential that there not be any
allowance between the tooth and tooth bar so that the pin is held
in place, a retainer member further being necessary. Even though
the allowance between new parts is non-existent, as teeth are
changed in the tooth bar the allowance becomes greater since, in
spite of the tooth being new, the tooth bar has become deformed due
to the work of the previous, replaced teeth. As this allowance
increases, the retainer member looses effectiveness since the
tension exerted on the pin decreases, whereby the risk of loosing
the pin and accordingly the wear member or tooth exists.
Patent document U.S. Pat. No. 5,983,534 discloses a lock system for
a fixing pin of the coupling between a tooth and tooth bar which is
rotary and does not require hammering.
In the described system, the pin incorporates a resiliently loaded
member able to exert a force against one portion of the tooth or
tooth bar for the purpose of tightening the socket coupling between
both, and a resiliently loaded retainer member radially projecting
from a cylindrical wall of the pin and susceptible to being
introduced in a cavity of the tooth or tooth bar when the pin, once
inserted, is rotated a predetermined angle by means of the coupling
of a tool in suitable configuration provided on an axial end of the
pin. A notch allows the introduction of the retainer member when
the pin is axially inserted into a passage defined in collaboration
by respective configurations of the tooth and tooth bar when they
are both coupled. When the pin is inserted, a sloped surface acts
as a cam to push the retainer member inwardly of the pin as the
latter is rotated until reaching the angular position of said
cavity, where the retainer member is shot into the cavity due to
the effect of said resilient loading. The removal thereof is
provided for by either breaking of the retainer member due to the
action of striking with a hammer on the pin in the axial direction
or the collaboration of inclined surfaces of the housing with
corresponding inclined surfaces of the head of the retainer member
to push the retainer member inwardly, either by an axial force
exerted on the pin, or by a turning torque applied thereto.
This arrangement entails great complexity for the pin, since it
incorporates two moving parts housed and retained in respective
cavities of the body of the pin and resiliently loaded by means of
coil springs, which negatively affects its production cost. On the
other hand, said cavities existing in the pin for the housing of
the moving parts weaken the pin. Furthermore, the moving parts and
resilient springs housed in the pin are highly susceptible to being
affected by the accumulation of dust and earth, which combined with
moisture can form a clay-type paste which may lock the springs and
the movement possibilities of the moving parts when it dries, which
entails the need to destroy them by hammering when it is necessary
to remove the teeth. Another drawback resides in that the use of
the pressure of the resiliently loaded member against the tooth bar
for holding the pin in place allows a certain relative movement
between the tooth and tooth bar. As a result, the retainer is
exposed to the movements of the tooth and, accordingly, the
retainer may become deformed.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a wear assembly
and particularly a coupling system between the different components
of said assembly (adaptor member or tooth bar and wear member or
tooth) for excavators and the like, in which to optimize the use of
such members and facilitate renewal or replacement thereof, a
system with mechanical couplings with innovative solutions
(interlocking configurations and pin-type fixing members) is
provided.
This means that once the bucket is prepared in the shop, all the
members subjected to the wear action can be replaced by other new
members at the work site, which may be a quarry face located far
from maintenance shops, without needing to use blow torches,
welding or specialized personnel. To that end, all the mentioned
components can be fixed with interlocking members and pins so that
the replacement operations are simple, using few tools and
preventing the use of complex equipment.
The excavator tooth couplings must comply with the following
features: a) they must withstand mechanical stresses from the
transmission of forces from the bucket-tooth bar-tooth assembly
with the ground; b) the useful life of the coupling itself is
limited due to phenomena of: plastic deformation of the material
due to the reactions for counteracting the exerted forces; fatigue:
it is calculated that a tooth with normal duration performs more
than 50,000 work cycles; because of this, the coupling must be
designed to prevent defects occurring due to fatigue phenomena such
as cracks or others; wear, being necessary to distinguish two types
of wear: 1. external wear of the parts due to the flux of the
material; 2. internal wear due to the fine materials which are
introduced between the two members (tooth-tooth bar) and an
abrasive effect with the movements between the two parts that
occurs, which wears the members.
Another object of the present invention is to have, in addition to
the mentioned wear assembly, a wear member or tooth as well as an
adaptor member or tooth bar which, due to their configuration,
allow a distribution of stresses favoring the retention of the
tooth in the tooth bar as well as reducing the stresses to which
the retention system and specifically the pin thereof are
subjected.
For the conception of the tooth and tooth bar assembly according to
the invention, it has been taken into account that the introduction
of the tooth in the tooth bar requires carrying out a curvilinear
motion to overcome two opposing areas characteristic of the
coupling system and of the structure of the tooth and tooth bar.
Said opposing areas are constituted of two interlocking surfaces
determined by the superimposition area existing between the
combination of lower surfaces of revolution of the nose of the
tooth bar and the upper surfaces of revolution of the nose of the
tooth bar. The same occurs in the hollow of the tooth. There must
be slippage in the upper faces of the tooth and tooth bar and when
the opposing areas are facing, the slope of these areas must be
less than the incremental reduction of the section in the forward
introduction movement. It is thus possible to obtain two bodies
with a perfect male-female reproduction which, once interlocked,
have areas in opposition without a natural release.
Retention of the tooth in the tooth bar is due to the combination
of the inclination of the planes defining the defined interlocking
surfaces and to the shape of said planes. According to the shape of
said planes, a tightening or crushing effect between the tooth and
tooth bar will be achieved when a downward vertical force is
applied on the tip of the tooth, this being the usual working
condition of the machine, in addition to a retention effect
achieved due to the inclination of the planes.
Due to this interlocking system, the pin is subjected to smaller
stresses than in traditional interlocking systems since the
tooth-tooth bar system self-tightens as it is subjected to downward
vertical loads on the tip of the tooth, freeing the retention
system and its pin from stresses and therefore allowing designing
the pins of the retention system with a smaller size and section
since they are subjected to fewer stresses.
Once the tooth is introduced in the tooth bar, when a normal force
is applied in a longitudinal direction when the machine performs
backward movement operations, the tooth does not come out of the
tooth bar since the two interlocking surfaces of both members are
in opposition, thus offsetting the expulsion forces to which the
tooth is subjected in the traditional interlockings. It is
necessary to apply a force with two components following the
previously described curvilinear movement in order to extract the
tooth.
In high output applications (mines and large quarries) when the
land is extraordinarily abrasive, a three-part system is provided,
i.e. an intermediate tooth bar-tooth assembly and changeable spare
tip. The interlocking between the intermediate tooth and the
changeable spare tip will be the same as between the tooth bar and
the intermediate tooth with a configuration adapted to the geometry
(it will usually be compressed lengthwise) in order to allow a
changeable interlocking on the tip of the tooth.
Another object of the present invention is also to have a retention
system and variations thereof adapted to the constitution and
structure of the interlocking as well as to its different
applications. Said retention system can also be used in other wear
assemblies.
The pin used in this retention system has as one of its main
features the fact that it is releasable without the use of
hammering for the introduction or extraction. Likewise, the pin
used by the retention system object of the present invention only
requires the tooth bar for its retention, not being affected by the
allowance created between the tooth and tooth bar due to the
consecutive changing of teeth in the same tooth bar, i.e. despite
the tooth bar being subjected to deformation, the pin will be held
in place as the retention system does not depend on the allowance
between tooth and tooth bar. The retention system and housing or
interlocking solutions to which it is associated can generally be
used for joining any of the members, i.e.: blade, tooth bar,
intermediate tooth or changeable spare tip, although they will be
described in a specific area or application of the assembly.
The essential features of the invention are detailed in claim 1 for
the wear member or tooth, in claim 13 for the adaptor member or
tooth bar, in claim 24 for the wear assembly formed by a wear
member and an adaptor, and in claim 25 for the retention
system.
Other features and particularly those pertaining to several
configurations of the parts of the assembly as well as the
different variations of the retention system used for fixing the
parts of the assembly are detailed in the dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The previous and other advantages and features will be better
understood from the following detailed description of several
embodiments, with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an adaptor member or tooth bar
according to the invention;
FIG. 2 shows frontal, side and upper views of the tooth bar of FIG.
1;
FIG. 2a shows a bottom view of the nose of the tooth bar of FIG. 1
in which the interlocking surfaces are observed;
FIG. 2b represents a side view of the nose of the tooth bar of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 shows a side elevational view of the tooth bar of FIG.
1;
FIGS. 3a-3e show cross sectional views taken respectively along
lines A-A-E-E of FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 represents a side and top schematic view of an interlocking
between an adaptor member and a wear member, forming a wear
assembly;
FIGS. 4a-4e show cross sectional views taken respectively along
line A-A, which represent different alternatives of the
interlocking surfaces generated in the tooth bar;
FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a wear member or tooth;
FIG. 6 shows a view of the hollow, cavity or box of the tooth of
FIG. 5;
FIG. 6a shows a side view of the tooth of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 shows and upper view and a side view of the wear assembly
formed by a tooth and tooth bar;
FIG. 7a shows a tooth and the nose of a tooth bar in working
position;
FIG. 7b shows the nose of a tooth bar and a tooth which cannot be
decoupled when trying to extract the tooth according to a
horizontal force H;
FIG. 8 represents a section of a wear assembly, tooth-tooth bar,
object of the present application in which the reactions on the
contact surfaces between tooth and tooth bar to a given upward
vertical force are observed;
FIG. 9 represents a section of a wear assembly, tooth-tooth bar,
object of the present application in which the reactions on the
contact surfaces between tooth and tooth bar to a given downward
vertical force are observed;
FIG. 9a represents a section of a traditional wear assembly,
tooth-tooth bar, in which the reactions on the contact surfaces
between tooth and tooth bar to a given downward vertical force are
observed;
FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of a tooth bar with a first pin
embodiment introduced in its housing, the retainer members of said
pin in the tooth bar being visible;
FIG. 11 shows an exploded rear perspective view of the assembly of
two members together with a first pin embodiment, also object of
this invention;
FIG. 12 shows an exploded front perspective view of the assembly of
two members together with a first pin embodiment, also object of
this invention;
FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of the retention means of the
assembly of FIGS. 10, 11 and 12;
FIG. 13b shows an exploded view of the elements making up the
retention means shown in FIG. 13;
FIGS. 14 and 15 show cross sectional views showing the pin and
retention means in the initial and final angular positions of the
pin, respectively;
FIG. 16 shows a perspective view of a tooth bar with a second pin
embodiment introduced in its housing, the retainer members of said
pin in the tooth bar being visible;
FIG. 17 shows an exploded front perspective view of the assembly of
two members together with a second pin embodiment, also object of
this invention;
FIG. 18 shows an exploded rear perspective view of the tooth bar
and the pin of FIG. 17;
FIG. 19 shows a perspective view and two side views of the pin
object of the second embodiment;
FIG. 20 shows a side and sectional view of the pin;
FIG. 20a shows a cross section in which the retention of the pin in
the tooth bar as a result of the action of the retainer member is
observed;
FIG. 20b shows a side view of a pin with two guide runners;
FIG. 20c shows a side view of the second guide runner of the pin of
FIG. 20b;
FIG. 20d shows a sectional view of the pin of FIGS. 20b and
20c;
FIG. 21 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a retainer
device;
FIG. 22 shows a perspective and sectional view of another
embodiment of the retainer device of the assembly of the
invention;
FIG. 23 shows a perspective view of a tooth bar for dredging
operations;
FIG. 24 shows the frontal, side and upper views of the tooth bar of
FIG. 23;
FIG. 25 shows a rear perspective view of a tooth for its coupling
in a tooth bar for dredging operations such as the one of FIG.
24;
FIG. 26 shows a distribution of forces in the tooth of FIG. 25 upon
applying an upward vertical force;
FIG. 27 shows an exploded view of an assembly used in high wear
situations of the tip of the tooth, in which a tooth bar, an
intermediate tooth and a tip are used, coupled by means of the
coupling system object of the present invention;
FIG. 28 shows the assembly of FIG. 27, coupled;
FIG. 29 shows an alternative configuration of the lower portion of
a tooth bar in which the interlocking surfaces are observed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS
The wear assembly object of the present invention is made up of a
wear member or tooth 1, an adaptor member or tooth bar 2 and a pin
3, 6, which is housed in an opening 23, either a through opening or
not, of the tooth bar 2 and coinciding with the at least one
through opening 13 of the tooth 1.
The tooth bar 2 applicable to a machine for moving materials such
as earth and stones according to the present invention comprises a
body 20 and a projecting area or nose 21, preferably symmetrical
with respect to the vertical axis of the coupling or wear assembly,
projecting from the front portion to be housed in a hollow, cavity
or open box 11 of the tooth, and at least one passage 23,
preferably a through passage, for the housing of a pin. Said body
20 of the tooth bar 2 has fixing means 25, 26 in its lower portion
for its more or less permanent fixing to the blade of the bucket of
a machine for moving earth and the like.
Said nose 21 of the tooth bar 2 has a proximal portion 21d of
decreasing cross section ending in a distal portion 21b of
continuous cross section, said decreasing section being formed by
two decreasing superimposed sections 27a, 27b, one 27a having a
larger surface than the other one 27b, coinciding in size and shape
in the distal portion 21b of the nose 21 and preferably projecting
in the proximal portion 21d of the smaller surfaced section 27b at
the lower portion of the larger surfaced section 27a, such that
along the length of the hollow 11 of the tooth existing between the
mouth portion 11a and the back portion 11c, the smaller surfaced
section 27b, preferably projecting at the lower portion of the
larger surfaced section 27a, is progressively introduced into the
larger surfaced section 27a until forming a single continuous cross
section 21b. When the smaller surfaced section 27b projects from
the larger surfaced section 27a, both superimposing one another,
two union areas 22 are created, although only one could also be
created, which define respective interlocking surfaces 22. The
series of said sections therefore constitutes two bodies of
revolution, preferably with a half-cone shape, along the union area
with a preferably oval shape, a preferably larger upper one 21a and
another preferably smaller lower one 28. The union of said bodies
is what gives rise to said interlocking surfaces 22.
The profile of said interlocking areas can be modified according to
the size or application of the tooth-tooth bar assembly, as can be
observed in FIGS. 4 to 4e. In FIG. 4a, a straight Interlocking
surface 22a is observed, defined by the union of sections 27a with
sections 27b by means of a rectilinear line forming an angle of 0
degrees with the axis of symmetry of the wear assembly. The series
of these lines is what determines the straight plane constituting
the interlocking surfaces 22. In FIG. 4b, an interlocking surface
is observed in which the upper surface 27a forms an acute angle
with the lower surface 27b, thus creating an angle .alpha. between
the two inclined interlocking surfaces. Also in FIG. 4c, rather
than being acute, said angle of inclination is obtuse. The
inclination for the two interlocking surfaces will mainly be
determined by the required penetration and taking into account that
a greater penetration requires less taper, it is estimated that the
inclination of said planes with respect to the vertical axis of
symmetry must be between 0 and 60 degrees, and to achieve an
equilibrium between the penetration and robustness, said
inclination must preferably be between 10 and 20 degrees.
In FIG. 4d, the union profile between the upper surface 27a and the
lower surface 27b is convex with a curvature determined by a radius
R1, such that the sections are joined by means of a curvilinear
line, which will define curved interlocking surfaces. In FIG. 4,
the profile is concave with radius R2.
By means of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 4b and 4d, formation of
acute angle .alpha. between the extensions towards the upper or
lower portion of the nose or hollow of the two interlocking
surfaces 22b and curved interlocking surfaces 22d with radius R1
allows the tooth and tooth bar to self-tighten with one another in
addition to achieving the offsetting of the expulsion force of the
tooth upon applying a downward vertical force, achieving a
retention effect not achieved by other systems
The tooth 1 comprises a body 10 having a cavity, empty box or
hollow 11 preferably symmetrical with respect to the vertical axis
in the rear portion thereof for receiving a projection area or nose
21 projecting from a front portion of the body 20 of the tooth bar
2, and at least one through opening 13 communicating said hollow 11
of the tooth 1 with the outside, susceptible to collaborating with
the passage 23 existing through said nose 21 of the tooth bar 2 to
form together a passage for a pin 3, 6 when tooth and tooth bar 1,
2 are mutually coupled.
The symmetry with respect to the vertical axis in the body of the
nose 21 of the tooth bar 2 and in the hollow 11 of the tooth 1,
i.e. the symmetry of the coupling, allows a simpler manufacture of
the tooth-tooth bar interlocking, as well as a better distribution
of the stresses when the system is working.
The hollow 11 of the tooth 1 has its surfaces conjugated with those
of the nose 21 of the tooth bar 2, such that a mouth portion 11d of
decreasing cross section ending in a back portion 11b of continuous
cross section, said decreasing section being formed by two
superimposed decreasing sections, one of a larger surface than the
other one, coinciding in size and shape in the back portion 11b of
the hollow and in the mouth portion 11b the smaller surfaced
section projects at the lower portion of the larger surfaced
section, such that along the length 11a of the hollow existing
between the mouth portion 11d and the back portion 11c, the smaller
surfaced section projecting at the lower portion of the section of
larger surface is progressively introduced into the larger surfaced
section until forming a single continuous cross section. As in the
nose 21 of the tooth bar 2, interlocking surfaces 12 complementary
to those of the nose 21 of said tooth bar 2 are generated between
said sections.
To carry out the coupling between the previously described tooth 1
and tooth bar 2 and to create the coupling system, as previously
discussed the hollow 11 of the tooth 1 comprises a mouth portion
11d of decreasing cross section preferably substantially oval or
elliptical shaped ending in a back portion 11b of continuous cross
section and preferably substantially oval or elliptical shaped.
Said mouth and back portions 11d, 11b of the hollow 11 of the tooth
1 are adapted so as to respectively interlock on proximal 21d and
distal 21c portions of a conjugated configuration of the projecting
area or nose 21 of the tooth bar 2 and at least one interlocking
surface 12 encompassing at least part of the mouth portion 11a is
adapted so as to make contact with at least one interlocking
surface 22 of conjugated configuration existing in the projecting
area 21 of the tooth bar 2 when tooth and tooth bar 1, 2 are
mutually coupled.
To introduce the nose 21 of the tooth bar 2 into the hollow 11 of
the tooth 1, it is necessary to carry out a rectilinear movement to
overcome the two areas in opposition, interlocking surfaces of the
tooth 12 and of the tooth bar 22, characteristic of the coupling
system and of the structure of the tooth 1 and tooth bar 2. During
this curvilinear movement there must be slippage on the upper faces
of the tooth 11a and of the tooth bar 21a, and when the opposing
areas or interlocking surfaces 12, 22 are facing, the slope of
these areas must be less than the incremental reduction of the
section in the forward introduction movement. It is thus possible
to obtain two bodies 1, 2 with a perfect male-female reproduction
which, once interlocked, have opposing areas without a natural
release.
In the case of teeth and tooth bars intended for being used in
mining where the dimensions of these members make their handling
very difficult, a guide 21e is arranged on the upper portion of the
nose 21 of the tooth bar to facilitate the introduction of the
tooth bar into the hollow 11 of the tooth, said hollow 11 having a
groove or channel 11e complementary to the guide 21e of the tooth
bar. Although not shown in the figures, it is evident that it is
possible to arrange the guide in the hollow 11 of the tooth and the
groove in the nose 21 of the tooth bar.
Once the tooth 1 is introduced in the tooth bar 2, when a normal
force is applied in a longitudinal direction H, the tooth does not
come out of the tooth bar since the two interlocking planes or
surfaces 12 of the tooth 1 and of the tooth bar 2 are in
opposition. It is necessary to apply a force with two components
following the previously described curvilinear movement in order to
extract the tooth.
The conjugated configurations of the respective interlocking
surfaces 12, 22 allow that a force applied on the tip 111 of the
tooth 1 in a downward transverse direction FVS, this being the
normal work of the machines, creates a reaction between tooth 1 and
tooth bar 2 in the interlocking surfaces 12, 22 which make both
bodies self-tighten against one another, unlike what occurs in
traditional couplings (FIG. 9a) in which the components of the
reactions to said vertical force tend to separate the tooth from
the tooth bar. The contact between the interlocking surfaces 12, 22
likewise prevents the tooth 1 from being extracted from the tooth
bar 2 in a rectilinear longitudinal extraction direction.
The preferably oval-shaped configuration of the contact surfaces of
the tooth 11a and of the tooth bar 21a allow that when a force is
applied on the tip 111 of the tooth 1 in an upward transverse
direction FVI, it creates reactions between tooth 1 and tooth bar 2
in said contact surfaces 11a, 21a.
The interlocking surfaces 22 can be of different dimensions
according to the applications of the wear assembly, even being able
to occupy the entire lower portion of the upper larger surfaced
section 27a, thus almost completely eliminating the lower smaller
surfaced section 27b except in the beginning of the mouth portion
or proximal portion. FIG. 29 shows a tooth bar with two
interlocking surfaces 22a and 22b joined at their front portion by
a third surface 22c, said interlocking surfaces being constituted
of a curved plane and the lower half-cone being formed by the lower
smaller surfaced sections 27b, having less length than the proximal
portion 21a of the nose. In this embodiment, it can be observed how
the smaller surfaced section 27b is completely introduced into the
larger surfaced section 27a at a point located between the
beginning and the end of the proximal portion 21a.
To assure the coupling between the previously described tooth 1 and
tooth bar 2, it is necessary to use a retention system which is
introduced in the passage 23 of the tooth bar and openings 13 of
the tooth.
A retention system suitable for the system object of the present
invention due to its structure and operation comprises a pin 3, 6
with a preferably cone-shaped elongated body of revolution,
although it may also be cylindrical; means allowing the rotation of
said pin about its own axis 35, 65; guide members for the
introduction of the pin in the wear assembly; and a retainer member
acting perpendicularly to the axis of the pin. By means of the use
of a retention system with these features the application and use
of the tooth-tooth bar interlocking in mining is simplified,
allowing carrying out the tooth replacement action more safely as
having to use large mallets is prevented.
It is evident that the tooth-tooth bar wear assembly can be
provided with more than one retention system, arranged in vertical
or horizontal position, each retention system further being able to
have more than one retainer member.
In view of the foregoing and making reference to FIGS. 10 to 15
below according to another aspect of the present invention, the
application of a retention system with said features to a tooth 1
and tooth bar 2 interlocking such as that previously described is
considered.
The body 10 of the tooth 1 comprises at least one through opening
13, and preferably two mutually facing opening located on the sides
of said hollow 11, and the tooth bar 2 comprises a preferably
through hole 23 preferably located in the nose 21 such that when
tooth and tooth bar 1, 2 are mutually coupled, said two through
openings 13 are coaxially aligned and connected to ends of said
through hole 23, together defining a passage for a pin 3. When said
pin 3, which is of an elongated and preferably cone-shaped
configuration, is completely introduced into the passage, it has
end areas located in the respective through openings 13 of the
tooth 1 and a mid area located in the through hole 23 of the tooth
bar 2, locking the decoupling possibility of the tooth and tooth
bar 1, 2. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 to 15, said passage
is arranged in a transverse direction T substantially perpendicular
to the longitudinal direction D and substantially parallel to said
blade.
Said pin 3 has a general cone-shaped outer surface arranged between
two bases and when it is completely introduced in the passage, it
can rotate therein between an initial angular position and a final
angular position. The catch 30 has a first end 31, a second end 32
and an edge 33, and it is arranged in a generating direction on
said cone-shaped outer surface of the pin 3 and preferably in a
middle area thereof. The pin 3 includes a single grip configuration
35 at one of its bases or a grip configuration 35 at one of its
bases and another grip configuration located at the other one of
its opposite bases. The grip configurations 35 are identical or
different and in any case suitable for being coupled by a working
tip of a tool. The grip configuration 35 preferably comprises a
cavity of polygonal, for example hexagonal or square, cross section
suitable for being coupled by a working tip of a tool in conjugated
polygonal prism shape.
Adjacent to the through hole 23 in the nose 21 of the tooth bar 2
and communicated therewith there is arranged a housing 24 open at
one of the side walls of the nose 21 next to the mouth of the
through hole 23 for receiving retention means 4 made up of a
rotation retainer 40 which collaborates with said catch 30 so as to
releasably lock the rotation of the pin 3 in said final angular
position, and an axial decoupling retainer 45 collaborating with
the catch 30 to retain the pin 3 completely introduced in the
passage when the pin 3 is retained in the final angular position.
The housing 24 has a blind bottom 24a and an opening 13, of said
two through openings 13 of the tooth 1 (specifically, opening 13 of
the side opposite to the blind bottom of the housing 24), in
includes next to its edge a through notch 13a which, when the tooth
and tooth bar 1, 2 are mutually coupled, is aligned with a groove
24b which is adjacent to and communicated with the through hole 23
of the tooth bar 2. The groove 24b ends at the height of the blind
bottom of the housing 24, facing a cavity of the housing 24. When
tooth and tooth bar 1, 2 are mutually coupled, this notch 13a and
this groove 24b allow the passage of the catch 30 when the pin 3 is
inserted in the passage until said first end 31 thereof abuts with
an end of the groove 13a, position in which the pin 3 is completely
introduced in the passage. From this position, the cavity of the
housing 24 allows the rotation of the catch 30 from the initial
angular position to the final angular position.
As is shown better in FIGS. 13 and 13b, the rotation retainer 40
comprises a body with two mutually parallel ridges 41 between which
a groove 42 is defined. Said body of the rotation retainer 40 is
connected to resilient means 50 and when the retainer is in
operative position, it is arranged with a groove 42 oriented in the
axial direction of the passage and facing it, and with said ridges
41 in the rotational path of the catch 30, which allows it to
receive said edge 33 of the catch 30 in the groove 42 due to the
momentary deformation of said resilient means 50 when the pin 3 is
rotated to its final angular position. For its part, the axial
displacement retainer 45 comprises a body with first and second
side surfaces 46, 47 located transversely at the ends of said
ridges and groove 41, 42 in order to abut with said first and
second axial ends 31, 32 of the catch 30 when the pin 3 is at least
in its final angular position. Said body of the axial displacement
retainer 45 defines between said first and second side surfaces 46,
47 a cup for receiving an inserted block of elastomeric material
constituting said resilient means 50 of the rotation retainer 40.
Said block of elastomeric material is joined to a face of the body
of the rotation retainer 40 opposite to the ridges and groove 41,
42 and is of a trapezium section, with its wider base farther from
the body of the rotation retainer 40, which facilitates its fixing
to the inside of said cup by simple pressure. The body of the axial
displacement retainer 45 further defines concave surfaces 49 on
both sides of the first and second side surfaces 46, 47 which also
cooperate with the through hole 23 of the tooth bar 2 to define the
passage in some of the portions where the through hole 23 is
communicated with the housing 24.
Once the rotation and axial displacement retainers are assembled as
shown in FIG. 13, they form a single part susceptible to being
introduced by sliding into the housing 24 existing in the nose 21
of the tooth bar. The body of the axial displacement retainer 45 is
of a trapezium cross section, with its widest base farther from
said concave surfaces, and the housing 24 has a conjugated
trapezium cross section with its widest based farther from the
passage so as to receive and retain in a radial position adapted to
the body of the axial displacement retainer 45 with the body of the
rotation retainer 40 assembled thereto. The length of the body of
the axial displacement retainer 45 is equal or slightly less than
the depth of the housing 24, therefor its axial position is
determined by the contact of the end of the body of the axial
displacement retainer 45 with said blind bottom of the housing 24,
The side of the box 11 of the tooth 11 around the through opening
13 obstructs the housing 24 of the tooth bar 2 when tooth and tooth
bar 1, 2 are mutually coupled, the opening of the housing 24 of the
tooth bar 2 trapping therein the rotation retainer 40 and the axial
displacement retainer 45 of the retention means 4 located in its
correct position.
FIGS. 14 and 15 show the operation of the rotation retainer 40 in
cooperation with the catch 30 of the pin 3. In FIG. 14, the pin 3
is in its initial angular position, i.e. in the angular position at
which it is initially introduced in the passage. In FIG. 15, the
pin has been rotated about 90.degree. to its final position in
which the edge 33 of the catch 30 has been trapped by the groove 42
of the rotation retainer 40 by momentary deformation of the
resilient means 50 forced by the flanks of the edge 33 on the
corresponding ridge 41.
In another example of use of said retention system, not shown in
the figures, it comprises two through openings in the upper and
lower walls of the hollow of the tooth 1, whereas in said
projecting area or nose of the body of the second part, a hollow is
located providing a vertical passage. That is, here the passage for
the pin is defined through said upper and lower walls of the tooth,
the transverse direction still being substantially perpendicular to
the longitudinal direction but it is substantially perpendicular to
said blade of the bucket of the machine. In reference to the
configuration and arrangement of the retention means, this
embodiment is similar to that described above with FIGS. 10 to 15,
therefore its description will be omitted.
Described below in reference to FIGS. 16 to 22 is a second
embodiment of a retention system according to the previously
mentioned features applied to the tooth-tooth bar assembly object
of the present invention.
The pin 6, which is generally shown in FIGS. 16, 17 and 18, and
more specifically in FIGS. 19 and 20, is of a preferably
cone-shaped elongated configuration and arranged between two bases.
When it is completely introduced in the passage, the pin 6 has end
areas located in the respective end cone-shaped portions of the
passage defined by the openings 13 of the tooth 1 and a middle area
located in the middle portion of the passage defined by the passage
23 of the tooth bar 2.
In the embodiment shown, the pin 6 has guiding means constituted of
a guide runner 61 arranged in a generating direction on said
cone-shaped surface of the pin 6, with a first end 63 opening into
one of said bases and a second end in a middle area of the pin 6. A
locking runner 62 is arranged in a generally circumferential or
slightly spiral direction on said cone-shaped surface 60 and has a
first end 63 connected to said second end of the guide runner 61
and a second end 64 at a predetermined angle from the first one.
Arranged in said second end 64 of the locking runner 62 is a cavity
for receiving the retainer member 8. The retainer member 8
comprises a retractable lug adapted for sliding along said guide 61
and locking 62 runners and for being housed in said cavity of the
pin. Said pin 6 also has means allowing the rotation about its own
axis, such as the grip configurations 65, possibly being arranged
at one or at both of the bases of the pin 6, depending on whether
or not the pin is a through pin. If the pin were to have a single
guide runner 61 and a single grip configuration 65, the latter
would be located at the base opposite to the base in which said
first end 63 of the guide runner 61 opens. In any case, the grip
configuration 65 comprises a cavity of polygonal cross section
(hexagonal in the illustrated example, although it could be square
or of another section) suitable for being by a working tip of a
tool in conjugated polygonal prism shape.
Said retractable lug 8 is formed in one end of a body 86, which
includes resilient means 85 configured and arranged such that said
retractable lug is susceptible to being retracted due to the action
of a force applied on said retractable lug against the force of
said resilient means 85.
FIG. 22 shows an embodiment variant of the retainer member 8 in
which the body 86 is of a generally rectangular or square cross
section and said retractable lug 8 has a rectangular or square
prismatic proximal portion 81 which is extended with a pyramidal
distal portion 82. In any case, the guide runners 61, 62 of the pin
6 have a half-round rounded back cross section and parallel outer
edges for contacting with said cylindrical or prismatic proximal
portion 81 of the retainer member 8, and the cavity of the pin 6
has inclined outer edges connected with the ramped back or backs of
the locking runner 62 in order to make contact with said
cone-shaped or pyramidal distal portion 82 of the retainer member 8
and to convert a rotation torque exerted on the pin 6 into a force
which is opposed to the force of the resilient means 85 associated
to the retainer member 8 in order to retract the lug 8 and release
the cavity of the pin 6, whereby the pin 6 is released so as to
rotate during a removal or decoupling operation between the tooth 1
and tooth bar 2.
FIG. 22 shows a cross section of the retainer member 8. The body 86
of the retainer member 8 is hollow and has an open lower face
susceptible to being closed by a cover and an upper face with a
central opening, having a shape conjugated to the cross section of
the prismatic or cylindrical proximal portion 81. The lug 8 has a
flared inner portion 84 adapted so as to slide on an inner wall of
the body 86. There is a space between said flared inner portion 84
of the lug 8 and said open lower wall of the body 86 for housing
said resilient means 85. In the illustrated example, these
resilient means comprise a stopper 85 of an elastomeric material,
such as rubber, polyurethane foam, etc., also compressed or
susceptible to being comprised between the flared inner portion 84
of the lug 8 and said cover. Evidently in a similar result, the
retainer member could include a single coil spring, a coil spring
embedded in elastomeric material, and even a coil spring with a
stopper of elastomeric material inside, and the cover could be
replaced by any type of removable ring or permanent edge on the
lower end of the inner wall of the body 86. The use of one type of
retainer member or another will be determined according to the
application to which the coupling will be subjected, i.e. if said
application is a cold application, either a retainer member solely
made up of an elastomer or a spring with elastomer could be used,
whereas if working with a hot application, the retainer member will
only have a spring.
The retainer member can be directly housed in specially made
cavities in the body of the tooth bar.
To assure the coupling between tooth 1 and tooth bar 2, it is
necessary to introduce the pin 6 though the opening 13, first
introducing the first end 63 where the guide runner 61 begins,
making the lug of the retainer member 8 coincide in said guide
runner 61 and making the lug 82 slide through the runner 61 until
reaching the locking runner 62. At this time it will be necessary
to rotate the pin 6 from an initial rotation position located where
the guide runner 61 ends and the locking runner 62 begins, to a
final rotation position located at the end of the rotation runner
62, coinciding with the second end 64 of said runner where the
cavity for receiving the lug of the retainer member 82 is located.
Once the lug 82 enters the cavity of the pin 6, the coupling
between tooth 1 and tooth bar 2 is assured as the movement of the
pin 6 is prevented.
The foregoing is that way because as shown in FIG. 20, the depth of
the locking runner 62 decreases in a slope from its first end,
coinciding with the end for the guide runner 61, to the second end
64, coinciding with the cavity of the pin. Said ramped surface of
the bottom of the locking runner 62 is able to transform a turning
torque exerted on the pin 6 into an opposing force to the force of
the resilient members 85 of the retractable body 86 able to
progressively retract the lug 82 as the pin 6 rotates, until the
cavity 64 of the pin 6 is located facing the retainer member 8, at
which time the resilient means 85 of the body 86 will be released
and will shoot the retainer member 8 into the cavity 64.
It is possible for there to be a of the locking runner extension
62a after the locking runner 62 and the second end 64, and then
after an approximately 90 degree rotation of said runner, a second
guide runner 66 is created, such that it is possible to introduce
the pin 6 into the housing at either of the two ends thereof.
According to this embodiment of the pin, according to FIGS. 20b,
20c and 20d, the cavity 64 of the pin is arranged between the first
end and the second end of the locking runner 62, and the pin 6
comprises a second guide runner 66 arranged in a generating
direction on said cylindrical surface (since in this case the pin
must be cylindrical and not conical as in the previously described
embodiments for constructive reasons) with a first end opening into
the other one of said opposite bases 65a of the pin 6, and a second
end connected to said second end 62a of the locking runner 62. In
this case, the depth of the locking runner also decreases in a
slope from its second end to said cavity. It is also possible to
arrange a grip configuration 65 different from the previous ones
which is outside of the pin 6 rather than being introduced
therein.
Another embodiment the arrangement of which is similar to that
described above with the exception that in this one the retention
body is housed in a housing of the pin rather than in a housing of
the tooth bar. Therefore the retainer member is arranged in said
housing such that in the absence of an external force, the
retractable lug projects from the pin whereas the guide and locking
runners are incorporated in the at lease one of said housing
configurations defining the passage. The guide runner is arranged
in a generating direction in an inner wall of the preferably
through opening of the tooth bar. The retention runner is arranged
in a circumferential or slightly spiral direction in an inner wall
of the through opening, at the mid point there-of, with a first end
connected to the end of the guide runner and a second end next to
the cavity to receive the retainer member.
In the embodiments, the transverse direction T1 is substantially
perpendicular to said longitudinal direction D and substantially
parallel to the cutting blade or edge of the machine. However a
construction in which the transverse direction T1 were
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction D and
substantially perpendicular to the cutting blade or edge of the
machine would also be possible.
A person skilled in the art will be able to carry out different
modifications and variations without departing from the scope of
the invention as it is defined in the attached claims. For example,
the housing configurations defined in the tooth and tooth bar
collaborate to form two passages for two pins retained by
respective retainer members. In this case, said two passages would
be formed by two pairs of facing openings through opposite areas of
the body of the tooth bar and by pairs of facing openings arranged
in each one of the upper and lower walls of the tooth.
It is evident that the application of the retention system in the
tooth-tooth bar interlocking can be carried out in other positions
in addition to the one described, possibly locating it in a
vertical housing or using two pins rather than one. It is also
evident that the retention system object of the present invention
and its different embodiments can be used in other couplings not
described.
The use of this retention system in teeth and tooth bars not having
the structure of the coupling assembly object of the present
application is also possible.
This wear assembly is not limited to its use in machines for moving
earth, rather its use is also possible in a dredging machine as can
be observed in FIGS. 23 to 26, in which the arrangement of the pin
is done so vertically for construction purposes.
On the other hand, as can be observed in FIGS. 27 and 28, it is
possible to use the described coupling system in any assembly of
two mutually couplable parts, such an intermediate tooth 10 with a
nose 10a and a tip 101 with a hollow, said intermediate tooth 10
being coupled to a tooth bar 2 through the nose 21a of the tooth
bar 20 and the hollow of the intermediate tooth. In turn said tooth
bar 20 is joined to the blade of the bucket of a machine for moving
earth or the like through its rear portion 25, 26.
* * * * *